Alzheimer's Train Ride

fedupnurse · Sep 19, 2008

http://www.youwriteon.com/books/bookdetail.aspx?bookguid=40d595e2-9d05-4ada-a0bd-748eb513247c

Looks like it is a book??

Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2008

Fedupnurse, thanks for looking! :) What I had was just a one page short story, talking about the train ride into alzheimer's... like it all starts out good, then the scenery changes, and the people are unrecognizable, then things don't make any sense and the person talks of how afraid they are and just cant get off the train. Such a good depiction- I'll share it if I can find it! ~Ivanna

brads7 · Nov 2, 2008

Did you find the poem? would like it myself

brads7 · Nov 2, 2008

I have found the story, not sure who wrote it or where it came from but it is a very moving story and anyone with a family member or loved one with Alzheimers can attest to this likeness of p[erhaps what the journey is like

THE TRAIN JOURNEY.

Imagine going on a long journey by train. As we leave the landscape looks familiar and as we progress, things begin to look different. The buildings have odd shapes and the trees don't look quite the way you remember them. Maybe it's a different country with different architecture and plant life. It feels a bit strange even unnerving.

You decide to ask the other passengers about the strangeness you feel, but notice they seem unperturbed. You wonder if your mind is paying tricks on you. You decide to act as if everything looks all right, but because it does not, you have to be on your guard. This places you under some tension, but you believe you can tolerate it for the rest of the trip. . However,ou t on this journey but know Ied out on this journey but know I connot go back.y will end. them to tell me where the train is you find yourself becoming so preoccupied with appearing alright that you are distracted and don't notice the passing scenery.

After some time you look out the window again and this time you know something is wrong. Everything looks strange and unfamiliar. There is no similarity to anything you can recall from the past. You think that you must do something and try to talk to the other passengers about the strangeness you feel but they look at you dumb foundered. They talk in a new language. You wonder why they are not talking in English. They look at you knowingly and with sympathy. You want to know what is going on so you keep after them trying to get them to tell you where the train is going. The only answers you get are in a strange language and then even when you talk your words sound strange to you. Now you are truly frightened.

You realise that you are going to have to get of this train and find your own way home and then you get up to leave. You don't get very far as the other passengers stop you and take you back to you seat. It seems that they want you to stay on the train whether you like it or not. You try to explain but they just talk in a strange language.

You realise that you will never find your way home if you don't get off that train. You get ready to jump when hands suddenly appear from nowhere and grab you from behind. You try to fight them off, but you feel them pulling you back onto the train. You will never get home.

How sad you feel. You did not say goodbye to you friends or you children. The passengers look sympathetic, but they do not know how sad you feel. Maybe if they knew they would let you off the train.

You have no choice now. You have to go along with the passengers because they seem to know where the journey will end. Maybe they will get you there safely. You wish that you had never started out on this journey but know you cannot go back.

overshare · Apr 23, 2009

My nursing instructor just read this to us in clinical and I wanted to use it in a presentation. Thanks so much for posting it!

Katie BCIT SN

vaughanmk · Apr 23, 2009

This is an amazing explanation of Alzheimers. It brought tears to my eyes and I am a passenger on this train with my grandmother

overshare · Apr 24, 2009

That is a very hard journey to be on. My own grandmother just finished her 10 year journey on that train a year ago. Don't forget to talk to the other passengers.

Katie

Keepstanding, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2009

oh how powerful and descriptive. so very sad :crying2:

praiser :heartbeat

brads7 · Apr 25, 2009

Since finding that story I have had the priviledge of meeting many who are on that journey and some who have family on that journey. Yes it is hard for them all and as a nurse being with them on that journey hopefully makes it a little easier for them to cope with...well thats what I hope anyway!!

nckdl · Apr 26, 2009

How sad this story is about the long journey of Alzheimers. I will be posting this on my own dementia unit to remind others how our beloved residents see things and how we seem to them. Thank you for sharing.